Opinion & Comment
What the Economic Decrees are Really Supposed to Achieve

Part II

In the first part, Rabbi Grossman noted that the current economic program proposed and implemented by the Israeli Government has all the indications of including significant ideological elements. It is not purely economic necessity. For example, the cuts in the National Insurance Institute (Bituach Leumi) payments could have achieved the same savings with an across-the- board cut of just 7 percent. Instead, chareidim and large families were cut up to 80 percent and other payments were left untouched. Also, they say they want avreichim to work, but now unemployment is a serious problem. Rather it seems that the cuts are directed against the chareidi community.

The Nefesh HaChaim was quoted. He says that those who learn Torah provide the critical link to Shomayim so that the world can continue. Also the Steipler was quoted explaining how, in today's world, without a yeshiva education one runs a serious risk of losing the link to Torah and mitzvos entirely.

Torah is a Lifesaver

In perek 12 the Steipler writes, "In our times, when the sword of heresy is at work without and the street attracts with all kinds of enticements in a way that is without any precedent, a youth who does not involve himself with Torah when he is young will almost certainly enter, R'l, corrupt society and heresy, may Hashem protect us. Our times are like those when there is a decree of apostasy R'l. At such a time, we are commanded to sacrifice ourselves and abandon everything to ensure that no youth abandon religion R'l. The lifesaver is the place of Torah study, within the walls of the beis hamedrash. As far as succeeding in remaining a believing Jew and a Torah observer, that can be won in yeshiv; a poor student does as well and often better than a gifted one."

Provision for the Future

Elsewhere (perek 1), the Steipler writes that the upheavals of modern times have also made the existence of kollelim vital: "Usually, what a student learns before reaching marriageable age confers `a straight head' on him, bringing him to the stage of `knowing how to learn.' To win the crown of Torah however . . . is impossible unless Torah is his sole occupation and he abandons himself to its study . . . If such a student goes out straight after his marriage to earn a living, besides the dangers posed to his fear of Heaven and his Torah observance by the heretical environment R'l . . . even if he emerges unscathed, he will forget his learning all too quickly . . . and what will become of Torah? Who will man its ramparts? Who will give rulings and who will comprehend it? Who will protect it and in the future be able to repulse the attacks of all those who wish to harm Heaven's portion, who try with all their might to interpret Torah falsely and divert it in the direction that they want, R'l, Hashem yeracheim."

The Steipler writes further that in bygone days, when it was widely acknowledged that Torah was the bedrock of a Jewish home, Heaven-fearing Jews would undertake the support of their newlywed offspring for several years so that the husband could ascend ever higher in Torah knowledge. "And even later," he continues, "any student who had attained the capability of rendering halachic rulings would be honorably welcomed by one of the thousands of Jewish communities to learn, teach, judge and rule. Thus it would turn out that he spent his whole life applying himself to Torah. From among such people arose geonim, the Torah giants of every generation, upon whom the entire nation leaned for support.

"Even those who did not reach such a level were at least firmly-rooted in Torah and would set available time aside for Torah study. Torah and its concerns were life's ultimate purpose, not chas vesholom a second rate occupation, that can chas vesholom be compromised according to circumstances, R'l. Such people protected and shielded our religion with self- sacrifice against those who wanted to breach it both from within and from without. They are the ones who transmitted Torah in its holiness and purity from father to son, from one generation to the next.

"Ever since the generations have deteriorated, in our sins, and have made work their main occupation and Torah secondary . . . this practice [of parents' providing for young couples] has been discontinued. To prevent Torah's being forgotten by the nation, chas vesholom, the leaders of the people zt'l, in the generations before the previous one, established kollelim in a number of Torah centers for avreichim who were capable of making progress. These stood us in good stead, providing the communities with great rabbinical authorities and Torah disseminators. In Hashem's mercy on us, we have merited that now too, in the Holy Land and elsewhere, there are wonderful kollelim preserving the holy charge with application to genuine Torah study, by day and night."

Our Preservation

In a well-known letter written to strengthen the kollelim (Michtovim Umaamorim 1-2), HaRav Shach zt'l also wrote about the establishment of the first kollelim by the Torah giants of earlier generations. They did so, he wrote, "so that [avreichim] would be able to pursue their Torah studies as part of a group . . . and grow in Torah stature. In this way, many great . . . rabbonim, halachic authorities and roshei yeshiva, in whom we take pride, developed in the kollelim.

"This was also of benefit to the youth who were learning in yeshivos. They saw a trodden path before them and it encouraged them in their studies.

"Today we are in the same situation. Boruch Hashem, there are outstanding kollelim, for avreichim who are great in Torah knowledge and yir'oh, who produce Torah works. Nowadays, when the pressures of the times and of earning a living are several fold greater than they used to be, these kollelim are as vital to the nation as air for breathing. Together, the yeshivos and the kollelim complement one another. They are our soul's focus and the powerhouse that preserves us. Today too, when distractors, destroyers and inciters abound, these gatherings of greatness, where the members of a group strengthen one another, are vital."

The key ideas that emerge from these passages from the Steipler's and HaRav Shach's writings leave us in no doubt about the vital function of the kollelim.

"In our lowly and forsaken generation, Yiddishkeit and faith are entirely dependent upon learning Torah in depth and with application . . . Our times are like those when there is a decree of apostasy R'l. At such a time, we are commanded to sacrifice ourselves and abandon everything to ensure that no youth abandons religion R'l. The lifesaver is the place of Torah study, within the walls of the beis hamedrash,"

"These kollelim are as vital to the nation as air for breathing. Together, the yeshivos and the kollelim complement one another. They are our soul's focus and the powerhouse that preserves us."

Chazal tell us that when King Achaz wanted to uproot Torah from Klal Yisroel, he tried to harm the young pupils since, "If there are no kid goats, there will be no adult goats." The evildoers of our day are trying to cause damage in the other direction. They base themselves on the assumption that, "If there are no adult goats, there will be no kid goats." If there are no kollelim, there will be no yeshivos and if there are no yeshivos, there will be no Yiddishkeit.

If One Brother Doesn't Have Pity on Another, Who Else Will?

In times like ours, it is worthwhile reminding ourselves of what the Rambam writes in Hilchos Matnos Aniyim (perek 10:2): "Whoever is cruel and does not take pity, one should wonder about his lineage, for cruelty is only common among the gentiles . . . All Yisroel and those who accompany them are like brothers . . . and if one brother doesn't have pity on another, who else will? Who do the poor among Yisroel look to? To the gentiles, who hate them and harass them? They look only to their own brothers."

This moving passage confronts us when evildoers of Jewish descent, who have thrown off the yoke of having pity -- which is a distinguishing characteristic of our nation -- and with eagerness bred of burning hatred, try to wreak blow after blow upon their devout coreligionists and seek ever more creative ways of starving our children and making them suffer the privations of poverty R'l

"Who do the poor among Yisroel look to? To the gentiles, who hate them and harass them? They look only to their own brothers," writes the Rambam. How have things reached the dreadful situation where the words, "who hate and harass" are not identified with strangers and gentiles but with heretical Jews, to whom the poor among their own brethren cannot turn because they, "hate them and harass them?!"

The Rambam's words should prompt us to take practical steps. When there is not a scrap of pity or mercy to be found outside our community, we must reinforce this trait from within -- "if one brother doesn't have pity on another, who else will?"

In the same perek, the Rambam enumerates the eight different levels of tzedokoh, writing that, "a great level, exceeded by no other, is [that of] someone who supports a Jew who has fallen on hard times and gives him a gift or a loan, or enters into a partnership with him, or finds work for him to support him so that he should not have to turn to others to request [support] . . . "

It has already been noted that in the current period, our duty to help our brethren economically is greater than ever. In every possible area, we should give first priority to doing business with other observant Jews. This applies everywhere, whether we are looking for a handyman or are buying groceries or clothing. We can fulfill this halochoh, of supporting our brethren -- those who are together with us in fulfilling Torah and mitzvos -- if we assume responsibility for one another and feel that we are all sharing the same situation. To one degree or another, everyone needs support at present and we must extend it to each other, so that we don't collapse financially.

Such cooperation will have wider repercussions too, as far as our economic standing goes, if we unite as an independent group with certain purchasing power and financial status. The main achievement of such cooperation however, will be the practical expression that it gives to the Rambam's beautiful words: "If one brother doesn't have pity on another, who else will?"

And don't Chazal tell us, "Whoever has mercy on others, Heaven has mercy on him"?

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